“This is the fun part. With that in mind, it is very important to stand out in this industry via your food. A simple burger joint, hot dog stand or taco truck likely isn’t going to lead to a massive amount of success in the food truck industry, for those things have already been done.

“Take some time to think about what you want your food truck concept to be, what your menu will consist of and how you plan on being unique/standing out.”

“Okay, so there are many different components when it comes to the food truck industry, but if you own a food truck, you will not only have to be business savvy and a great cook but you will also have to be a manger (when you can finally afford to hire employees, of course).

“You are going to have to wear many different hats (the manager hat, the business owner hat and the chef hat, for starters) if you plan on entering this industry. Are you ready for that?”

“Spoiler: If you want to start up a food truck business, then you’re going to have to be patient, motivated and passionate, and you’re also going to have to work harder than you have ever worked in your entire life (okay, so this last step comes more into play once you become a mobile kitchen owner, but still).

“Being a food truck owner — and starting up a food truck business, of course — is not easy, and you are going to need plenty of ingredients before you can do so. Therefore, below you will find 15 must-haves for starting up a mobile kitchen. While everyone’s journey is different, meaning everyone’s recipe list, if you will, will differ, the 15 things below are non-negotiable (and they are also in no specific order).”

“The sooner you start doing catering gigs, the sooner you will add another stream of income into the mix. Not only that, but the longer you wait to do catering gigs/food truck events, the longer you will push it off. That’s just the way life works.

“Catering gigs are a great advantage to food truck owners for so many different reasons: (1) They allow owners to make more money, and from different sources than their normal locations. (2) They allow owners to get their brand/truck out there to more people. (3) They change up the scene, which could lead to you not reaching burnout. (4) Catering gigs could lead to you having a thriving business at all times of the year (yes, even the winter).”

“There are plenty of places to buy food trucks from, but we highly recommend you going with a company like Prestige Food Trucks as opposed to, say, eBay. Prestige’s trucks are reliable, customizable and you can rest assured you are getting a fantastic deal. With eBay … well, in many cases, you don’t know what you’re getting, and you are likely buying the food truck as is.

At Prestige, we can turn your food truck into a dream food truck as a result of high-quality equipment and customization coming into the mix.”

“While everyone loves food, no one wants to eat from a place that looks like it specializes in garbage. Your customers should come to your food truck — and eat at it — with confidence, knowing that they aren’t going to get sick. In fact, that shouldn’t even cross one’s mind!

“However, if you have a cheap food truck that looks sketchy, then you might scare off potential customers. Trust us, scaring your customers off because of the look of your truck should never happen!”

“There are an overwhelming amount of challenges food truck owners have to overcome in the mobile kitchen industry.

“Heck, before someone can even become a food truck owner, said someone has to create a business plan from scratch, come up with the funds to buy a truck and all of the equipment (if you go the high-end route, which we definitely recommend, then your truck could start at $70,000), figure out what the kitchen all needs, learn how to market, learn how to be a business owner and the list could go on and on. Of course, you will learn some of these things on the job, if you will.”

“If you want to achieve some success in the food truck industry, then you need a solid food truck concept. After all, a typical burger joint or taco truck is not going to cut it — well, if you don’t add your own unique twist to it, that is.

“This is the case for every single business — you need to be unique. What are you providing to the world that others aren’t? What separates your food from the rest of the pack? Is it the ingredients? The finished products? The variety? What?”

“Tired of showing up at the same location every day for work? Well, in the food truck industry, you don’t have to! You can literally sign up for food truck events, which are all over the country. Not only are food truck events fun for everyone involved but you get to cook up a storm and show off your otherworldly recipes in the process.

“In this industry, you can also hold catering gigs, which is yet another way to change up the work scenery/environment/location. Events and catering gigs also add another stream of income, which should be a major goal for any business owner.”